The Adventures of Reckless Git and Danger Ponce
by theelderwand1
Summary: Aurors Potter and Weasley aren't quite sure what's worse: the trouble Yaxley's caused since his escape from Azkaban or facing the wrath of their witches, Ginny and Hermione.
1. Petrified

"Ron?" Harry asked groggily.

No response.

Harry's head felt three sizes too big. Desperately, he tried to turn to his best mate. "Ron? Can you hear me?"

He was met with a groan. "Yeah, mate, I hear you. Head's pounding…And I can hear _them_. They'll be here soon." Ron's voice sounded resigned, almost welcoming their coming doom.

From the corridor, at first they heard distant shouting. But it was getting louder by the minute.

"Can you move?" Harry's voice was still uneven.

Harry heard his best mate grunt. "No good. Petrified from the neck down."

"Bollocks! Me too…we gotta get outta here."

"And go where? There's no place to hide where they can't find us, brother."

One last time, Harry tried to move his legs. The pain that shot through him when he tried it made him give it up as bad business. The shouting had grown even closer. He sighed. "Ideas?"

"Bugger all. But I think I'll just blame you."

"Ponce! It wasn't my…"

The doors to Hogwarts' hospital wing nearly exploded off their hinges, revealing two stunningly beautiful and righteously outraged witches. A deathly silence filled the room as Hermione and Ginny cast cold glares at their boyfriends.

"It was Harry's fault!" Ron shouted and instantly regretted it as his head reverberated with the noise.

Ginny and Hermione shared a look. Hermione gritted her teeth and Ginny just shook her head. Then they crossed the room to their respective boyfriends.

Hermione gave Ron a menacing growl, but she couldn't keep her hand from smoothing his hair out of his eyes.

Ginny pulled a chair up to Harry's bed, casting a disappointed scowl at the raven-haired wizard and then glancing at the bed holding her brother. "Did you two just miss the hospital wing so much you couldn't stay away, or is there an actual excuse for you ending up here again?"

Hermione interjected before either of the wizards could answer. "I'm sure Madam Pomfrey is glad to see you. You two used to be her best customers."

Harry sighed as he turned his eyes to Ginny. "Love, this time…things just got away from us."

"Obviously," Ginny spat.

Through their bond, Harry could feel the anger emanating off his girlfriend. She hadn't been this livid with him in years.

Hermione furrowed her brow at Ron. He shot her a timid, cockeyed smile in response.

"Don't!" she hissed. "The usual charm isn't going to get it done today!"

"Oh, for the love of Merlin, Hermione! It's not like we wanted this to happen," Ron retorted.

Hermione bit her tongue and took a calming breath. Then she closed her eyes. "Pomfrey immobilized you both to make sure the healing potions work without any interference. The paralysis should start to wear off in stages. She said you'd both broken more bones than she could count." Then she shook her head. "Amazingly enough, you don't have any other serious internal injuries. But, for the next," Hermione glanced at her watch, "two hours, neither of you are going anywhere."

Harry perked up at that. "Excellent! I was hoping they'd let us go home tonight. I knew it couldn't be that bad…"

"_Couldn't be that bad?_" Ginny seethed. "Harry James, there's an entire _building_ that's demolished back in Hogsmeade!"

He blanched. Then he tried to soothe her through their bond. _Love, if you'll just let us explain? _He was met with silence, and another wave of anger.

After a short eternity, she responded. _Don't even try that! Talk! Out loud. Our link is off limits to you until we get this straightened out. _

Hermione spoke up, an arctic chill in her voice. "Kingsley's sorting everything out now, which is why he isn't here in person, giving you the dressing down you both deserve."

That got Harry's ire up; his voice rose as he glared at Hermione. "King knows the value of the target. So do you, _Madame Undersecretary_." Harry'd let a tone of derision slip into his voice. "We had to go in…"

"_Auror _Potter," Hermione spat, condescendingly, "this was supposed to be a simple reconnaissance, not a _full scale_ _war_."

Harry seethed as he tossed out his trump card. "Auror jurisdiction."

Ron was gobsmacked. "You two do know that it's me and 'Mione that are supposed to be arguing like this? Did you lose the script or something?"

"This is no time for jokes, Ron." Ginny replied, with an icy frown. Then she turned on her boyfriend and her best friend. "You two need to drop the Ministry silliness. And you two," she motioned to Harry and Ron, "need to explain what the hell happened."

Ron shot a look at Harry. "I'll start…"

HpHpHp

"_Reducto_!"

The curse slammed into Ron's shield, throwing him violently up against Harry. They'd gone back-to-back instantly when they realized they'd walked into a trap.

Ron countered, conjuring a whirlwind that bought them some time as Harry braced his legs to steady them both. Then they heard crashes overhead.

"Bugger! There's more on the first floor!" Ron shouted.

"_Expulso_!" Harry countered, blasting two Death Eaters out of their way as they made for the stairs. "We gotta get out of this basement! Up!"

Ron went first, as Harry turned and loosed a _Bombarda_ at one of the support beams.

"Blasting out the beams?" Ron shouted. "Are you mental!"

HpHpHp

"Wait! Wait!" Ginny shouted, raising her hand to Ron, cutting him off mid-sentence. "I _hate_ when you do that!"

"Do what?" He asked with a befuddled look on his face.

"Start in the middle," she huffed.

Ron had regained the use of his right arm and was sitting up in his bed, sipping pumpkin juice through a straw. "Well, you wanted to know what happened."

Ginny glared at him. "Back up."

"How far?" Ron asked over his glass. Then he sniffed the air; the smell of fresh baked bread wafted in through the doorway. "It's getting near dinner, isn't it? I wonder if Winky could bring us up a spot of…"

"Ronald!" Hermione hissed.

"Fine," he said, exasperated. "So, where am I supposed to start?"

"The beginning," Hermione said through clenched teeth. "That's usually where people, _normal_ people, start a story."

"Oh, for Merlin's sake Hermione," Harry interjected. "You've been getting our briefing memos. Yaxley! This whole mess was about Yaxley."

Hermione's head snapped around to Harry. "Yaxley?"

Ginny piped in. "I thought this mission was focused on Dolohov. Yaxley's out of the country."

"That's what we thought," Ron added. "New development, just this morning."

Ginny frowned at Harry, whose eyes dropped to the bed sheets. "Love, I would've told you about it, but we only just found out."

Hermione's patience slipped several more notches. "The morning briefing memo from the stakeout didn't say a single word about Yaxley."

"Not the morning briefing, the supplement. Hermione, I wrote it myself," Harry answered with an exasperated shake of his head. "This whole damn thing shifted focus to Yaxley six hours ago. I gave the supplement to Seamus…" he trailed off as the realization hit him full force. "Oh, bugger!" Harry buried his head in his hands.

"_Oh, bugger,_ is right." Ron interjected. "So, that's why our backup never appeared." He shot a look at his partner.

"What?" Ginny turned from Hermione and Ron back to Harry. "What happened?"

Hermione shook her head, letting the cliché slip from her lips before she could stop it. "I didn't get the memo."

Harry sighed. "From the beginning then…"


	2. Stymied

Harry sat at the table in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place, his purple Auror's robe and armor draped over the chair next to him. He was finishing his second cup of tea and reading _The Daily Prophet. _Taking in the headline, he muttered, " 'Bout bloody time."

"For what?" came a sleepy voice from the hall.

Ginny, still dressed in her pajamas, shuffled into the kitchen and collapsed in Harry's lap, making him drop the paper. He couldn't help but chuckle.

"Whasso funny," she asked in a muffled, tired voice.

"You, love. It's Saturday. And it's _early_. Figured you'd sleep another few hours."

Ginny nuzzled his ear. "Smelled breakfast."

Harry chuckled again. "The age-old Weasley dilemma – food or sleep?"

She batted him playfully and grabbed a piece of uneaten bacon off his plate. "What were you muttering about?"

"Oh. This." Harry gestured to the front-page headline: "Wizengamot Concludes Investigation into Battle of the Pitch – Auror Corps Cleared of Malfeasance."

Ginny came awake. "So nice of them to clear you. Tossers!"

Just as Harry had feared, following the Battle the recriminations flew. But Kingsley was a master statesman. With Arthur's help, they'd manage to channel the outrage to where it rightfully belonged: on the Wizengamot for stifling Kingsley's efforts at reforming the Ministry and trying to purge it of Death Eater sympathizers and Pureblood extremists. Still, Harry and Ron had to endure a months-long investigation that began soon after Ron was released from St. Mungo's. As the redheaded Auror was fond of saying during the tedious hours of questioning: It was a crappy way to come back to work.

All in all, the Battle hadn't been the disaster Harry had originally feared. All of the Quidditch players survived and 20 Death Eaters were captured or killed. But balanced against that were the 12 dead and 76 injured spectators, including his able partner. Throw in the fact that the remainder of the Quidditch season was cancelled and it could hardly be called a victory for the forces of light.

Ginny slid off Harry's lap and went to the stove to retrieve her breakfast. "Kreacher at Hogwarts?"

"Yeah. Told him I'd be making breakfast this morning." He fluttered his paper.

"You're sweet." Then she motioned to _The Prophet_ as she loaded her plate with food. "Does it say anything else worth reading?"

"Not particularly," Harry answered as he turned a page. "Usual tripe. There is a good picture of Ron and Hermione though." Harry laughed. "Society Section – that'll give me something to take the mickey out of him with today!"

Ron was clad in fine dress robes, escorting a ball gown-wearing Hermione to a Ministry function, one Harry had managed to dodge at the last minute. The caption: "Dashing Auror and Elegant Undersecretary out on the town."

Ginny peeked over Harry's shoulder at the paper. "Sweet Merlin…_dashing_? Oh, George will have a field day with that!"

"I plan on beating him to the punch," Harry said with a mischievous grin as he took another sip of tea.

Ginny took a chair across from Harry, set down her now-full plate and grabbed a fork. "When are you leaving for work?"

Harry checked his watch. "In about twenty minutes. Ron and I are meeting up at the Ministry before we Apparate together to Hogsmeade."

Ginny stopped mid-bite. "And?" She looked at her boyfriend expectantly.

"And…What?"

She cocked an eyebrow at him.

Harry sighed. "Gin, it's just a meeting, then a stakeout."

"Details?"

The Battle of the Pitch had turned everyone's world upside down. With the Death Eaters now targeting Harry and Ron, and their witches, Ginny and Hermione had begun Auror training. As Undersecretary to the Minister for Magical Law Enforcement, including Hermione in the sessions was no problem. But, to justify Ginny being trained, she'd been hired as a consultant to the Auror Corps as a flying instructor. She was quickly put to work on the new "airborne option," as Ron came to call it. After the foursome had a long discussion about how vital the Quidditch players were during the Battle of the Pitch, they'd decided adding an airborne element to Auror tactics and training was vital. But the witches essentially becoming full-blown Aurors wasn't the only major change in their lives.

In exchange for their witches agreeing to keep a low profile ("What? I'm just supposed to stay cloistered in this damn house!" was Ginny's first reaction to the suggestion), Harry and Ron had to agree to keep them informed of their day-to-day activities and investigations. In detail.

Kingsley knew there were no secrets among the foursome; it was one of Harry's non-negotiable demands before he agreed to reconstitute the nearly extinct Auror Corps out of Dumbledore's Army. But, following the ambush at Ginny's match against Appleby, that sharing of information was taken to a whole new level. And, there was an added wrinkle. Before Harry and Ron could embark on any high-risk missions (Hermione referred to them as "hare-brained schemes"), they had to consult with their witches first. The Quartet's discussions about this arrangement were intense (Ron called it a "pain-in-the-arse of a row."). But, in the end they all agreed the escalation of the Guerilla War required a new level of vigilance and openness.

_Openness? The two witches in my life are doing everything but inspecting my underwear, _Harry thought to himself.

"I heard that Harry James!"

_Damn link. _Harry sighed. Then, out loud, "I'm sorry love. It's just…"

"What?"

Harry cocked an eyebrow at his girlfriend. "Look, this job is hard enough without me having to worry about _you _worrying about _me_ twenty-four hours a day. Okay?"

Ginny fought to keep her temper in check. She took a breath and began counting broomsticks. When she got to 20, she trusted herself enough to speak calmly. "Harry, we talked about this, all four of us." She sighed. "I have no intention of interfering in your work. But we agreed. No secrets, especially if you're getting ready to do something particularly… dangerous." She almost slipped and substituted the word _stupid._ She tamped her temper down and reached her hand across the table, taking his. "I know you have a job to do. Just don't shut me out."

"Alright." Harry slumped in his chair, putting the paper aside. "Today's pretty routine. We're still monitoring that old warehouse in Hogsmeade the Death Eaters are using as a safe house, hoping Dolohov will show his face. We're still short-handed so Ron and I are taking a turn after we meet up with George and his friend."

"I didn't know you were meeting George."

Harry nodded. "Business acquaintance of his has some information for us. Bloke by the name of Galloway. Do you know him?"

"_Bryce_ Galloway?" Ginny asked, a surprised look on her face.

"Yeah. Why?"

"He was a Hufflepuff in Percy's year. Odd character. If Mundungus Fletcher and Peeves had a child, it'd be Bryce."

Harry couldn't help but smirk at that. "Well, we're meeting him at Hogwarts – Room of Requirement. All the cloak and dagger stuff is so Ron and I aren't seen in Hogsmeade. Could spook the Death Eaters. And because Galloway is terrified of being seen talking to us in public."

Some of the Aurors, like Seamus, lived in Hogsmeade, so their presence wouldn't raise any suspicions. A visit by Harry and Ron, on the other hand, was bound to get noticed. Harry explained that the plan was for he and Ron to Apparate directly into the Hog's Head, meet up with George and Galloway and take the passage to the Room of Requirement. Deep within Hogwarts, it was by far the safest location in all of Wizarding Britain.

Harry ticked the remaining points off on his fingers, an ever-increasing impatience creeping into his voice. "After that, Ron and I relieve Seamus and Dennis at the stakeout. Then, I'm home by six for dinner. Treacle tart's my vote for desert. Any questions?" He finished with a lopsided smirk.

"Don't get cheeky, Harry James."

He rolled his eyes. "Today it's just standard, boring stuff."

She put down her fork and crossed her arms over her chest. "_Standard. Boring_. These aren't words I'd normally associate with you, especially when you add my brother into the mix."

"Gin, don't go there."

"Oh, _I_ _will go there_, Head Auror Potter…"

"Ah, not so fast. I'm not Head, yet. I just run the show for Kingsley."

"…Before I do, though," Ginny continued, ignoring the interruption, "I promise I'll keep the link closed while you're on the job. I don't want you losing focus." Then Ginny's eyes began to blaze _Fiendfyre_, which was always a bad sign. "But, I'm warning you, Harry. If Reckless Git and…

HpHpHp

"…Danger Ponce make an appearance, there will be Hell to pay, Ronald."

"Can't a man devour his breakfast in peace around here?" Ron tried not to look up from his copy of _The Daily Prophet_ as he shoveled eggs into his mouth. And remembered to swallow before he resumed talking. "Nice picture of us…Bloody hell! _Dashing_? Harry and George'll take the mickey out of me for that."

Hermione smacked the table, causing Ron's plate to rattle.

He lowered the paper. "_What_?"

"You heard me."

Ron folded his copy of _The Prophet_ and tossed it to the side. "I'm not deaf. And you know I hate that nickname."

Hermione furrowed her brow at her boyfriend.

"'Mione, what d'you want me to tell you?" he asked in a huff. "It's a meeting with a source and then a stakeout. The takedown isn't going to happen for days and when it does, we'll have the whole Corps on site. We'll outnumber them, surround them and disarm them so fast they won't know what hit them. It'll be as safe as I can make it." He took a bite of a scone. "Merlin, these are good! Mum's recipe?"

Her tone was casual. "Yes. They turned out well didn't they?" Then it reverted to scalding. "Back to the point, you. What about the _takedown_?"

This time, he forgot to swallow before he continued, but he still managed to speak somewhat clearly around the scone. "You know I don't like to discuss the tactical stuff until I'm ready to do a full briefing. Give it a rest, will ya?" He went back to his paper.

Hermione wasn't sure whether to fume or cry. She took a steadying breath. "Ron, this is your first field assignment since the Battle of the Pitch…"

"Don't start that."

"I'm serious!"

Ron put _The Prophet_ aside, again. Then he reached across the table and took his gorgeous witch's hand. "Love, nothing's gonna happen today. Harry and I'll relieve Seamus and Dennis. We'll swap stories and eat chocolate frogs. I'll come home cold, tired and cranky." He cocked an eyebrow and smiled, mischievously. "And, very, very hungry. I promise."

Hermione tried to keep a stern look on her face. "Hungry…I've no doubt. But in one piece would be preferable."

"No worries, love. Hows about I bring some takeout with me when I come home?"

"No need." Hermione said as she snatched up the paper. "Gin and I are at the Leaky for lunch. I'll order takeout before we leave and put a warming charm on it."

Ron dropped his scone. "You and Gin?"

"Yes," she replied, not looking up from _The Prophet._

"You're gong to lunch?"

"Yes," she replied again, as she turned the page.

"At _the Leaky_?"

Hermione set the paper down, examining her boyfriend as if he were some new magical creature Hagrid had just shown her. "Ronald, your powers of comprehension are surpassed only by your table manners."

The tall redhead clenched his hands into fists as he tried to keep his voice steady. "I thought we agreed the two of you wouldn't venture out unnecessarily."

"We've had nearly three months of training, and we're as capable as any of your other Aurors. Besides, the agreement was that we'd always go out _in pairs_. Me," she raised a single finger. "Ginny," she raised a second. "A pair." She put both fingers together and snatched _The Prophet _back up. "Forget that point, did we?" she asked, smugly.

Ron began counting chocolate frogs. When he reached 30, he trusted himself enough to speak without shouting. "Tell me, love of my life, why in the name of Merlin's fish-and-chips do you need to go out to have lunch with my sister?"

"Neither of _us_ have gone anywhere without one of _you_ tagging along since Appleby." Hermione tried to keep her voice calm. "You know we used to get together for lunch once a week. It's time to get back to that. Besides, giving us some girl time insures that we won't hex your…"

HpHpHp

"…ears off the next time you make a cheeky comment about us inspecting your underwear," Ginny finished with a truly devilish smile.

Harry thought to himself, _Do I_ _fight this or surrender? _

_Surrender. You've got no chance, love._ Ginny smirked at the raven-haired wizard.

_Damn link._

HpHpHp

Harry and Ron appeared with a crack in a second floor room of the Hog's Head, to find a gruff Aberforth Dumbledore waiting for them.

"Potter. Weasley," he said, shaking the Aurors' hands. "Good to see you're well."

"And you too, Aberforth. Thanks for letting us Apparate straight in," Harry said.

"Definitely," Ron added with a smile. "Much better way to go about it than the first time you took us in."

Aberforth shot the redhead a gruff nod. "And how's Hermione?"

Ron's smile faded. "Impossible."

"Good," the barman replied dryly. "That should keep you on your toes. And Ginevra?" he asked, nodding to Harry.

"The same as Hermione."

Aberforth let one of his rare smiles spread across his face, nearly making it crack. "Don't expect any advice on the subject from me. Now, should I send up some food while you wait?"

"No, thanks," Harry answered.

Ron shot Harry a dirty look.

Harry cocked an eyebrow at his partner. "Really? You just had breakfast and there's food at the stakeout for Merlin's sake!"

Ron shrugged.

Aberforth shook his head. "If you change your minds, let me know. I need to get back before I'm missed. I'll send the others up as soon as they get here."

"Thanks," Harry said as Aberforth made his way out the door, shutting it behind him.

Ron collapsed onto a sofa, propping his long legs up on a pillow as he stifled a yawn; Harry found a seat on an overstuffed chair.

Ron looked around the room, letting his eyes rest on the large portrait that served as the doorway to the Room of Requirement. "This place hasn't changed since the Battle of Hogwarts, has it?"

"No." Harry spared a moment on nostalgia. "So, I have this strange feeling you got into it with Hermione about the stakeout?"

"Right in one there, Trelawney. You and Ginny, too, I'd guess?"

Harry sighed, nodding his head. "Hermione tell you about lunch at the Leaky?"

"Yes." Ron's ears began to redden at the thought. "I was counting on you to put a stop to it."

"Me?" Harry asked, taken aback. "After she was on about 'Reckless Git and Danger Ponce' there wasn't much I could do."

"So," Ron said with a glint in his eye, "couldn't save yourself with a smile and one of those gooey flushes of love through the bond, eh?" The redhead batted his eyelashes, feigning a swoon.

Harry smirked at his best mate. "Apparently, I just wasn't _dashing_ enough this morning."

Ron sighed. "Weren't gonna let that one go, were you?"

"Not a chance." He shot a wry smile at his partner. "Anyway, she's closed the link while I'm in the field, so I can concentrate."

"Thought you two had the bond pretty much under control," Ron said, turning serious again.

Harry shook his head. "We did until that ambush in the Archives. Ever since the bond progressed from being just a flow of emotions to us being able to communicate mind-to-mind, it's gone wonky during any stressful situation." During the Battle of the Pitch, the flow of emotions through the bond had been so strong, it had nearly crippled Harry.

Ron chuckled. "Lucky for us we lead such stress free lives."

Harry laughed. "Don't I know it. Anyway, even with it closed, I'm pretty sure I can still get a message to her if I need to, though."

Ron sighed. "Don't know how you do it, brother. You know I love that bossy, bushy-haired pain-in-the-arse of mine, but if I had her in my head like you've got Ginny, I'd go mental."

"It's got its upsides. Double-edged sword, I guess," Harry responded.

The bond manifested shortly after Ginny's horse-Patronus had changed to a doe, days after the Battle of Hogwarts. But, the reason why the two Magi shared this psychic link remained a mystery, even to Hermione. The Unspeakables might have been able to shed some light on it, but Harry and Gin didn't want to risk becoming Ministry lab rats. The link remained a Weasley family secret.

"Anyway, will you _Crucio_ me if I ask about your plan for the takedown?" Harry asked.

"I'm still working on it. I should be ready to present it in a day or two…But I suppose I can give you the basics without hitting you with an Unforgivable." For Harry, Ron was always willing to bend his rule about discussing a plan before it was polished. He slid his feet off the sofa and sat up. "I've memorized the layout of the warehouse and, based on the last few surveillance reports, figured out their wards. They haven't secured the place all that much. Looks like we can do a simple smash-and-grab and surround them. Hermione cooked up a charm that'll get us inside without setting off any alarms. She taught it to me last week. But, we'll still need a master warder we can trust to take down the Anti-Dissaparation and the Anti-Apparation wards."

"Bill," Harry added.

"Brilliant minds think alike. Bill takes down their wards; he's figured them out pretty well since Appleby. Then we Apparate in, put up our own Anti-Disapp wards so they can't escape. _Expelliarmus_, _Stupefy_, _Incarcerous, _off to Azkaban, have a nice day…One small rub."

"What's that?" Harry asked.

"To do it safely we'll need the entire Corps. That place is just too damn big to secure with only a team."

Harry steepled his fingers as he thought. "So, the rest of the realm will be without Auror protection for…how long?"

Ron was silent for a moment. "With enough advance warning and some good intelligence on when Dolohov will show up so we can get into position…two hours. Maybe more."

"That's if everything goes according to plan," Harry said, cocking an eyebrow at his best mate.

"So pessimistic."

"_Realistic_."

"Tomato, tomatoe."

There was a knock at the door.

Harry shot a smile at his partner. "Well, brother, it sounds like the intelligence you were hoping for just showed up." 

_AN: __A__ special shout-out to my adopted little sis and amazing beta, 1917farmgirl. If you haven't checked out her stories, you're missing out. They're in my favorites._


	3. Schooled

Ron made his way to the heavy oak door. "Who is it?"

"Someone not as _dashing_ as his younger brother, apparently."

Ron muttered, "_Git_," under his breath and pulled it open. The two wizards in the hallway quickly walked into the room as Ron secured the door behind them. George led the way, shooting a smile at Ron. The brown-haired wizard that followed him was of medium height, in his mid-twenties. His nose was slightly hooked and there was a bit of a devil-may-care glint in his blue eyes.

George clapped Harry on the back. "Harry, Ron, this is Bryce Galloway."

Galloway's hand shot out from his side as he rapidly shook both the Aurors' hands. "A pleasure! A distinct pleasure. Already know you both by reputation, of course. Been looking forward to meeting you both in person for years. Definitely a pleasure." Galloway's smile was disarming, but Harry still had the distinct feeling he should keep his hand on his wallet while he was anywhere near this wizard.

Harry began, "Well, Mr. Galloway…"

"Oh, please, call me Bryce," he insisted. "All my friends do; no need to be so formal. We're all on the same side after all. Aren't we? Of course we are. It's like I was telling George…"

Harry interrupted him before he got a full head of steam behind him. "Fine, then, _Bryce_. We'll be leaving for Hogwarts shortly. George informed you how this is going to work?"

"He did," Bryce answered, "but I really don't think it's necessary. We're all friends here after all. And I'm the soul of discretion. No need to worry about me letting any Kneazles out of the bag as to how we're getting into Hogwarts. Yes, soul of discretion. Just ask George here, he can vouch for me."

Ron's lopsided grin split his face. "Humor us. You want to keep this little meeting a secret; we'd prefer that you not know how we're getting in. Simple trade, yeah?"

Bryce shot a look at George. "Well…I suppose, but surely there's no need for…"

"Galloway," George interrupted. "Stow it. You need help with your little problem and you want to keep a low profile at the same time. You do it their way. Understand?"

Bryce hesitated, then nodded. "Alright." He squeezed his eyes shut, bracing himself. "Hit me."

With a shake of his head, George loosed a stunning spell at Galloway; Harry immediately cast a levitation spell, saving the wizard from a wicked impact with the floor.

Ron shook his head as he looked at his brother. "Quite the talker, this one. You trust him?"

George cocked an eyebrow at his younger brother. "Trust? That's a strong word. I think his information is reliable. But I wouldn't say I trust the tosser." Then he shrugged. "He's relatively harmless, though."

Harry smirked at George. "I'm really curious as to what kind of business you do with him. But, actually, I don't think I want to know."

George couldn't help but laugh. "Now, Harry, surely you're not worried about me? I keep my dealings with Bryce on the up-and-up. He's useful because he always tends to know what's going on in Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. And Knockturn Alley, for that matter."

Ron piped in. "What was all that about Galloway having a problem he needs help with?"

George grimaced. "Yeah, he's got a price for his information."

"We're listening," Harry added.

"Galloway got pinched by the DMLE squads a week ago," George responded.

Harry asked, "And he wants the charges dropped?"

"Right in one," George answered.

"So," Ron asked, "how serious are the charges."

"Not that bad. He got caught dealing counterfeit Tentacula."

"How do you fake Tentacula?" Ron asked.

George sat on the sofa. "By charming oregano."

"Brilliant," Harry chuckled.

"It would be if his charm work was any good," George added with a laugh. "Stuff looks like burnt celery, not Tentacula, if you ask me."

Ron gestured toward the painting above the fireplace, as he sat up. "Here comes the Headmistress. Right on time."

The portrait swung open. "Mister Weasley, punctuality is a virtue. I'm glad to see you've learned that."

Ron reddened at the comment. "Yes ma'am. How are you?"

"I'm well. Good to see you. And you, Mr. Potter." Then she turned to George. "And you too Mr. Weasley…I see you've brought Mr. Galloway." She shook her head, clearly less than pleased with the company George had been keeping.

George gave her one of his signature grins. In spite of herself, McGonagall let her frown soften. But only a little.

Harry made his way to the portrait hole, a levitated Galloway trailing along behind him. "Thank you, Professor, for letting us do this. I really couldn't think of a safer place for us to meet."

"Always willing to help," the Headmistress responded. "And I do appreciate the lengths you've taken to help keep this passage secret. Too many people already know about it as it is." The Ministry had altered more than a few memories after the Battle of Hogwarts to protect the existence of this passage, but it was hardly a state secret. "No need to make it more widely known." Then she frowned at Galloway. "Especially to some less…_desirable_ characters."

The group began the trek through the tunnel to the Room of Requirement. Upon entering, they saw the room transformed into a very comfortable study furnished with overstuffed chairs, sofas and a warm fire crackling in the grate. They gently placed Galloway on one of the sofas as the Headmistress again turned to Harry. "I'll leave you to your meeting. Take as much time as you need." She began to leave, but then she hesitated. "Harry, Ron…whatever you're planning…please…be careful." She fixed them both with a very soft, worried look. Then she left.

Ron turned to Harry. "Is there a single witch in the country who doesn't think we're going to end up dead by the close of business?"

"Not very reassuring, is it?" Harry asked.

Ron shrugged and collapsed into one of the chairs.

George said, "You two do have something of a reputation. What is it that Gin and Hermione call you? Reckless Git and…"

"Don't say it," Ron interrupted.

George chuckled. "A little sensitive there, are we? And here I figured you'd become the perfect stoic gentlemen, what with you having been 'out on the town' so recently."

Harry smiled, but decided to change the subject before Ron could retort. "Let's wake him up."

George dropped his wand to Galloway. "_Rennervate_."

Bryce's eyes fluttered open and he slowly sat up. He took in the room, with a befuddled grin on his face. "Is this the Gryffindor Common Room? Never been here before."

Ron spoke up. "We're in Hogwarts. That's all you need to know."

Harry tried to stifle his smile. _Good Auror, Bad Auror._

"George tells us you've got some information?" Harry prompted.

"Yes. Information. Prime, Grade A, unadulterated, straight-from-the-source skinny. Just what you gentlemen need, and I'm only too happy to help you out." The effects of the stunning spell hadn't dampened Bryce's mood.

"For a price," Ron finished.

"Oh, c'mon Weasley. I've just got a little problem I need some help with."

Ron frowned at Bryce's use of his last name. "Depends on how good your information really is."

"It's good."

Ron glanced sideways at Harry. The raven-haired wizard ran his hand through his hair and then took off his glasses, polishing them on his robes. It was one of the prearranged signals the two had been working on. Ron didn't miss it.

_Bugger, me_, thought Ron._ He can't seriously mean it. We haven't even practiced a chain-Legilimens more than twice. _

"If your information pans out," Harry began, "we'll see to it that the charges are dropped."

"Excellent! Now, here's what…"

"No," Harry interrupted. "I need to make sure it's reliable. You telling me isn't going to be enough. I'm going to need to use Legilimency. Do you understand?"

George's eyebrows shot up.

Bryce looked more than a little nervous. "You're going to read my thoughts?"

Harry said, "Something like that, yes. If you agree, we've got a deal. If not, our business is concluded."

Slowly Bryce nodded. "This gonna hurt?"

"Just don't fight it," Harry answered as he took out his wand. Ron did the same. Both Aurors cast Legilimens simultaneously - Harry at Galloway, Ron at Harry.

Under Kingsley's tutelage, Harry, and Ron to a lesser degree, had finally mastered the arts of Legilimency and Occlumency. But chain-Legilimens was Harry's own creation; he'd been working on it for several months. One wizard would enter the mind of a suspect while another entered the mind of the original caster. In this way, it was hoped, several wizards could view the same thoughts and information without using a Pensieve and without risking the safety of the person being read by multiple wizards entering his mind. It was also much more reliable than Veritaserum. But they'd never tried it in the field and had only practiced it a few times before.

The images came swimming into view. Knockturn Alley. Three days ago. A dark stoop. Slowly the vision began to coalesce.

_Bryce was haggling with another wizard over the price of some stolen Erumpent horns. Given the subject of their negotiations, they were doing it very, very quietly, in a small alcove deep within Knockturn Alley. They had just concluded their business and separated when Dolohov and another, hooded figure came into view. Seeing them, and knowing that they were Death Eaters, Galloway ducked back into the alcove._

_"Saturday. Do you understand?" Antonin Dolohov demanded. "It's vital that everything is arranged properly for the meeting."_

_"Everything will be as you require. You have my word," the hooded figure responded._

_"Good. Yaxley will be in the country only for a few hours, so it is exceptionally important that everything go as planned," Dolohov finished._

_"I'll make all the arrangements by noon, before he arrives."_

_Then the two men parted ways, quickly leaving in opposite directions. _

Harry broke his spell as Ron did the same, both wizards easing back in their seats.

Bryce shook his head to clear it. For the first time all morning, Galloway's voice was shaky, and betrayed more than a little fear. "They can never know it was me that told you."

Harry eyed the wizard, somberly. "You have our word. And we have a deal. I'll see to it the charges are dropped and that no one is the wiser as to why."

Bryce nodded.

Ron said, "George will take you back."

Then, the glint returned to Bryce's eyes. "Excellent! I'm sure the Auror Corps wouldn't mind springing for a meal once we get back to the Hogs Head? After all, the forces of light always stick together. Why, it's like I was telling George earlier…"

"_Stupefy_."

Bryce collapsed back on to the couch and George placed his wand back in his robes.

"Thanks mate," Harry said with a sigh.

George nodded. "No problem. He was about to go on a tear. We'd be here for hours. And I'm sure you and _Dasher_, here, need to get to work."

"Think you've gotten the 'dashing' jokes out of your system?" Ron asked with a smirk.

"Not even close. But I'll leave Harry to carry on in my place." He rose from his seat, levitating Galloway to the passage. "Should I tell you to be careful?" He shot them both a grin. Then he was gone.

Harry pulled his Invisibility Cloak out of his Auror armor, draping it over the arm or his chair. "Yaxley." He shook his head. "We need to move fast. Do we have enough time to get everyone in position, or is this going to be another last minute rush?"

Ron checked his watch. "We've got time…Gods I hate throwing a plan together like this. We'll need to get word to the Ministry immediately. Too much to say with a Patronus and we can't trust the Floo network with all the leaks at the Ministry." He began to pace as he thought. "We can send a message back with the night shift. Quicker that way."

Harry grabbed a pen and parchment that had just appeared on the coffee table in front of him. "I love the Room of Requirement." He hastily wrote out a supplement to the morning report, stamped it "Urgent" and addressed it to Hermione. Then he hefted the Cloak. "Climb under; we'll walk out the gates and Apparate to the stakeout."


	4. Vindicated

"Was wonderin' when you two blokes would show. Been freezing my arse off out here," Seamus said as he rose to his feet. He'd been crouched by the window facing the decrepit old warehouse they'd had under surveillance for the past two weeks. The window was masked with a very complicated glamour that hid the occupants from view. "I let Dennis leave ten minutes ago; his mum's sick. Besides, it's been dead quiet."

Harry wanted to chastise Finnigan for going it alone, even for a few minutes, but decided to save it for later. He crossed to the Irishman and handed him the supplemental report. "Take this straight to Hermione. Then rally the Corps."

Seamus eyebrows shot up. "Bring everyone? Again?" The last time the Corps had been massed was the Battle of the Pitch.

Ron nodded. "Yaxley's coming. He'll be here in a little less than three hours. We have to move fast."

"Bloody hell! I'm off."

"Hold on." Harry stopped Seamus before he could turn on the spot. "Make sure everyone knows the same rules that apply during the stakeout apply to this. They can Apparate into position and use _Muffliato_ to mask the noise, but no other magic. No summoning charms, no Patronuses, not even a levitation spell once they get here. We can't afford to tip our hand. Once they're in position, sit tight and stay hidden."

"Gonna be hard to coordinate this," Seamus said. "Better let me know exactly where you want everyone."

Harry looked to Ron.

"Don't rush me," Ron grumbled. "You know I hate that."

"No choice. Besides, who else is brilliant enough to pull it off on short notice?" Harry asked with a grin.

The redhead shook his head wearily and moved toward the window. Seamus followed. "We'll use these four buildings." Ron gestured to four shops situated around the old warehouse across the street. "Assign the teams however you like, one team for each rooftop. Have everyone in position by noon." Then Ron furrowed his brow. He turned to his best mate. "No one but the two of us will be able to see the entrance. We'll be the only ones that know when he gets here."

Harry cocked his head. Then he turned to Seamus. "When you see sparks shoot from this building, send everyone in."

Ron continued, "Make sure to get word to Bill. We'll need him here to drop their wards so everyone can Apparate into the warehouse. Once we're all inside, Bill needs to put up our own DisApp wards to keep them from escaping. Tell him to use that new modified one he just came up with." Bill had just perfected a new DisApp ward that would trap their prey but still allow the Aurors to Apparate through it, thanks to a special charm placed on their armor. "You've still got the warehouse floor plans I gave you?"

"Aye. They're at my flat. I'll stop there first and get 'em before I head back to the Ministry," the Irishman replied.

"Good. _Geminio_ them and pass them out to the teams. Make sure they Apparate into the four corners of the warehouse on the first floor. Harry and I will go in through the main door that leads into the basement, come up the stairs and take them from behind. All the action seems to be on the first floor, so the basement should be empty. Then it should be a simple sweep and clear. Understood?"

"I've got it," Seamus raised his wand as he prepared to DisApparate.

"Wait!" Ron grabbed his arm.

"You blokes do know that you'll eventually have to let me leave, right?" Seamus smiled.

"Funny." Ron smirked at him. "Last thing. And this is really important. That whole warehouse is supported by beams in the center of the building. Make damn sure everyone knows to watch what they're firing at or the whole rickety mess will come down on top of us."

Seamus cringed. "That seems like relatively important information."

"I thought so," Ron added.

"Thanks for sharing," Seamus said. "Now, can I go?"

Harry and Ron shared a look. Harry nodded.

"You're sure?" Seamus asked with a cocky grin.

Harry laughed. "Bugger off, Finnigan."

"I'll see you in the warehouse." With a "pop" he was gone.

Ron started pacing, his head down. "I hate rushing into this. Just two more days, Harry. I could've worked this up properly and done a full briefing."

Harry rested a hand on his best mate's shoulder. _Hermione's definitely had an influence on him. If I didn't know better, I'd think he was channeling her._ "You ready for this?"

"No," Ron replied. "Do it anyway."

Harry tried to soothe him. "Easy. No one plans on-the-fly better than you. It'll be just like our Hogwarts days."

Ron smirked. "And things _always_ turned out so well back then."

Harry shook his head. "C'mon. We've got some time. Fancy a game of chess?"

"Sure," Ron answered, running his hand nervously through his hair. "It'll get my mind off the tongue-lashing Hermione's gonna give me if this goes pear-shaped."

"So pessimistic."

"_Realistic_."

Harry paused for a moment. _Maybe I should try to tell Ginny. But opening the link might not be such a great idea, now._ He pondered it. _Hermione will fill her in._ With a satisfied nod, he got the board out. "I'm feeling lucky."

As the pieces assembled themselves, Ron's spirits rose. "Not lucky enough to beat me at chess, Potter. White or Black?"

Ron wasn't lying. He won three straight games without breaking a sweat. Not that the temperature would've allowed for perspiration anyway. Even in early November, the weather in Hogsmeade was less than pleasant.

Both Aurors took turns keeping an eye on the warehouse between moves. They'd found it was an excellent way to stay sharp during tedious stakeouts like this one. It also helped keep their minds off the cold. They couldn't risk a fire or a warming charm for fear they'd give their position away. Even though Hogsmeade was full of magical energy, the building they occupied was supposed to be vacant. They weren't taking any chances. The _Muffliato_ spell that covered their Apparating and the glamour on the window were their only magical luxuries.

As the board began to set up for their fourth game, Harry checked his watch. "The Corps should be in position by now. D'you see them?"

Ron cautiously peered out the window, squinting. "No. Looks like Seamus has them well in hand. They're staying out of sight, just like you ordered."

"Good," Harry said. "Now…"

Ron silenced him with a wave of his hand.

Harry was at the window in a flash. "They're early."

Below, six cloaked forms moved toward the warehouse's main door.

"The one in the center has to be Yaxley." The words were hardly out of Ron's mouth when the form in the middle tried to break and run. A scuffle broke out as the other five manhandled him back to the middle. Then the cloak fell away, revealing that the wizard in the center had what looked like a pillowcase over his head; a length of cord secured it around his neck. He wasn't one of the Death Eaters; he was a prisoner, a prisoner wearing purple Auror robes.

"Oh, bugger! They've got one of ours!" Ron shouted. Neither Auror hesitated. Ron shot sparks in the air from his wand as Harry turned on the spot. Not waiting for the wards to collapse, he Apparated near the door to the warehouse, firing stunners at the dark wizards. They were too closely packed for Harry to risk using any lethal spells.

"Here we go." Ron followed his partner down.

The stunning spells caught the group unawares. Two crumpled to the ground and the four others, including the captured Auror, were thrown through the doorway by the blast and hurtled down the stairs to the basement. Ron just barely cast the charm Hermione had taught him to keep the alarms from going off before they crossed the threshold and leapt down the staircase after them. _It'll buy us a few seconds, if we're lucky._

One dark wizard managed to keep his feet as he flew down the stairway, grabbed what must have been a Portkey hanging on a hook and vanished. Harry was sure it was Yaxley.

"Dammit!" he hissed.

But as soon as they reached the basement, Ron realized their luck had run out. The door shut behind them with an ominous thud.

Harry and Ron stood at the base of the stairs. At their feet, piled one on top of the other, were two dark wizards and the captured Auror. As Ron looked around the room, he saw that they were not alone. His eyes fell on some very surprised Death Eaters. _A lot_ of very surprised Death Eaters.

Everyone stood frozen, eyeing each other in what amounted to shocked disbelief.

It was Ron who broke the silence:

"Oh, shit."

Then the room exploded in a rain of magic.

Ron and Harry's shields were up in a flash. Curse and hex fell thick as Harry and Ron shielded and riposted, neither daring to give ground as they loosed _Expulsos_ and _Reductos_ right and left, faster than the less well-trained Death Eaters could shield. The fury of their attack bought them some breathing room.

"Cover me. I'll get him out!" Harry shouted, indicating the stunned Auror.

Ron nodded as he positioned himself in front of his partner and their fallen comrade. His shield flickered as he began to dodge and weave, keeping his _Protego_ between his best mate and an early retirement.

Harry didn't have time to remove the hood and find out which Auror it was that had been captured. He simply knew he had to get him out of here. _Still too soon to Apparate; Bill can't have the wards down yet._ He swung his wand to the door behind them and forced all his will into the spell. _"EXPULSO!"_ The door shattered and whatever magic was keeping it sealed gave way, if only for a minute. With another flick of his wand, Harry levitated the stunned Auror up the stairs through the doorway to safety, sending a _Rennervate_ up after him. Then he turned back to help his severely outnumbered best mate, only to hear the door re-seal. _This really is not going well._

Harry helped Ron shield the barrage of curses that were aimed at them, praying that the rest of the Corps would soon be there. _Time to Apparate upstairs. _He laid his hand on Ron's shoulder. _Wards have to be down by now._ He turned on the spot.

Nothing happened. _Where the bloody hell is Bill?_

"Can't Apparate!" Harry shouted to Ron.

"Brilliant!"

"_Reducto_!"

The curse slammed into Ron's shield, throwing him violently up against Harry. They'd gone back-to-back instantly when they realized they'd walked into a trap.

Ron countered, conjuring a whirlwind that bought them some time as Harry braced his legs to steady them both. Then they heard crashes overhead.

"Bollocks! There's more on the first floor!" Ron shouted.

"_Expulso_!" Harry countered, blasting two Death Eaters out of their way as they made for the stairs that lead to the first floor. "We gotta get out of this basement! Up!"

Ron went first, as Harry turned and loosed a _Bombarda_ at one of the support beams.

"Blasting out the beams?" Ron shouted. "Are you mental!"

"Gotta make them drop the wards! If they think the building's coming down on them, they'll bolt." Harry continued to shield and riposte as they fought their way up the stairs.

Ron grunted as he rammed his fist into a closing Death Eater's face. "Mate, that's the worst idea I've ever heard!"

"Our backup should've been here by now." Harry loosed another _Reducto_ and then shielded for Ron. "We'll have to improvise. Something's gone wrong."

"You think?" Ron asked sarcastically. "I knew this was gonna happen. I told you I needed more time to plan this out."

Harry spat, "Just like old times."

Ron covered their rear as Harry shot flames from his wand, clearing a path to the first floor. Then Ron began to shoot stunners in rapid succession, stopping only to shield as they advanced. "You really gotta leave the planning to me."

Sweat soaked Harry's brow as he struggled to keep his shield up. "Fine, Mr. Chessmaster. What's the plan?"

Ron cast _Oppugno_ at a row of wooden barrels that hurled themselves at some closing Death Eaters. But it didn't seem to slow their advance. There were just too many of them to fight. "Oh, bugger all. Blast the beams!"

The Aurors hefted their wands.

_"BOMBARDA!"_

The force of their combined spell shattered the support columns in a blinding red explosion. Then silence. Everyone stood stock still, Auror and Death Eater alike, almost as if an unscheduled truce had descended on the fighting. Then the building began to moan, then rumble, then shake. Violently.

Ron tried to turn on the spot. "Nothing yet."

"Wait for it."

"Sure. Wait. Brilliant!"

Ron dodged out of the way as one of the rafters came careening toward him. He deftly pulled Harry with him. But the rafter was just a harbinger of worse to come. The roof gave way. Stone and steel came crashing down with a deafening roar. Harry had his shield up trying to keep the building off of himself and his partner, but the weight of the debris was simply too much. He felt himself being crushed into the floor. But, then he heard the telltale sounds of DisApparation. Harry poured every once of strength he had into his shield to try and shift the debris pile.

"Now!" he gasped.

Ron could move just enough to execute an Apparation turn. The two Aurors vanished just as the entire structure imploded, taking several Death Eaters with it.

They appeared just outside the blast zone. Then Harry saw Seamus, tending to them.

"Easy mates. I'm taking you to Pomfrey; Hogwarts is closer than St. Mungo's. Just hang on." The last thing Harry remembered before he lost consciousness were the torn shreds of a pillowcase still hanging from Seamus' neck.

HpHpHp

"Collapsed the building to make them lift the wards?" Ginny was gobsmacked. "That was your plan?" She was too shocked to be angry.

Harry nodded sheepishly.

"I told you it was Harry's fault," Ron added. Then he chortled. "But you can't argue with success. I can't think of anything else we could've done. Can you?" he asked his girlfriend.

Hermione opened her mouth to retort. Then shut it.

Ron cocked an eyebrow at her. "Yes, love?"

Hermione turned to Ginny for help. The redheaded witch simply raised her arms in mock surrender. "Don't look at me. I'd like to Bat Bogey them both until they suffocate. But..."

Hermione sighed, shaking her head. "They captured Seamus at his flat. You both must be cursed. And us along with you, I suppose."

"Well, love of my life, there are worse fates." Ron took her hand in his.

"Really?" Hermione asked sarcastically. "Name _one_."

"Uh, well…" Ron turned to his best mate. "A little help here?"

"Sorry." Harry eased his legs over the side of the bed and began to pull on his Auror's robes. "All out of ideas. I got nothing."

Ginny gently helped him stand. "No, Reckless Git, that's not quite true. You've still got me. Gods know why…Let's go home. We'll figure it out later."

Ron forced himself out of bed. Then he shot a sheepish glance at Hermione as he motioned to his best mate and sister. "Don't suppose I can sell you on their solution?"

Hermione frowned at her boyfriend. Then she rolled her eyes. "Fine."

Ron perked up.

Hermione caught his expression. "But don't go thinking you got away with this!"

Ron shook his head. "Wouldn't dream of it."

As the Quartet made their way out of the hospital wing, Ron couldn't help but drop a conspiratorial wink at his best mate.

Fin.

_AN: __Once again, a huge shout-out to 1917farmgirl, my adopted little sis and trusty beta. Check out her tales folks, she's awesome. They're in my favorites._

_This tale __is part of a universe of stories, all of which lead up to my novel, "Children's Crusade," the sequel to "Stop all the Clocks." "Crusade" is posting now (May 20, 2011). A timeline is included below._

_Thanks for reading!_

_Eldy_

_Crusadiverse Timeline:_

_1998 – July – "Hermione's Wand" – one shot - posted_

_1999- August – "Journey of a Thousand Miles" – one shot - posted_

_2000 – August – "The Battle of the Pitch" (main story line) – short story – posted_

_2000 – November – "The Adventures of Reckless Git and Danger Ponce" – short story – posted_

_2002 – Spring – "The Proposal" –four chapter short story, which now includes as its prologue "Best Laid Plans," formerly a one-shot – posted._

_2002 – Early Summer – "The Tipping Point" – three chapter short story – posted._

_2002 – Summer – "Children's Crusade"- novel – sequel to "Stop All The Clocks" – Posting now!_

_2003 – December – "The Gift"- one shot - not yet posted_

_2004 – May – "The Battle of the Pitch" (introductory story line) – posted_


End file.
